Big changes to reach Nordic carbon neutrality

To achieve the Nordic region’s ambitious 2050 goal, the countries need to make big changes in its energy sector, a recent report from the International Energy Agency shows. One is a ten-fold increase in wind generation.

In the first regional edition of its flagship technology publication, Energy Technology Perspectives, it is clarified that the Nordic region can become carbon-neutral by 2050 through vast changes in its energy sector. According to the report, this includes a ten-fold increase in wind generation, an end to all use of coal and significant electrification of transport. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden would need to “use their rich renewable energy resources to transform their landscape and economy, with 10 000 onshore and 3 000 offshore wind turbines and the region exporting 75% of its new power generation.”

The report also shows that the countries will have to completely decarbonise their electricity generation by 2050, increasing wind power to 25% of generation from just 3% today and expanding transmission by 150%. Furthermore, emissions from transportation must fall by nearly 90% from current levels, with nine in ten new light vehicles in 2050 being pure electric or hybrid and most freight transport going by rail or running on biofuels.
The IEA co-developed this regional edition with research institutes from all five Nordic countries as well as the Nordic Energy Research, an intergovernmental organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers that supports regional sustainable energy research cooperation.